Abiomed Gives Ireland a Piece of Its Heart

Prescient, moi? OK, that’s conceited, but hey, I got your attention! And the boast is not entirely without merit. You be the judge.

On Wednesday, I put the finishing touches to a lead article for the MEDTEC Ireland section in the September issue of European Medical Device Manufacturer. Titled “MEDTEC Ireland Highlights Device Industry’s Resilience amid Global Economic Turbulence,” the article makes the case that the device industry’s love affair with Ireland will stand the country in good stead as it confronts its first fall in output since 1983. (You will have to trust me on the timing of this, by the way, since the article is not yet online.) A day later, I came across the following headline: “Medical Device Firm to Create 250 Athlone Jobs.”

Abiomed will manufacture its Impella 2.5 minimally invasive ventricular assist device at the former Conor Medsystems factory, reports the Irish Times. And this is no one-night stand for the famous maker of an artificial heart: Abiomed has announced that its long-term goal is to designate Ireland as its global centre of excellence for high-volume disposable product manufacturing.

Tags: Business News, Ireland